Florida Citrus Sports

Had a great time hearing from some talented and hard working women in sports including our own Events Coordinator Tara Staley at Thursday’s Women in Sports Events Seminar. The panel provided valuable insight for industry veterans and those looking to embark in a career in sports events alike.

Florida Citrus Sports is thrilled to welcome Big Dave's Cheesesteaks to Camping World Stadium this fall, as the award-winning purveyor of authentic Philadelphia-style cheesesteaks brings its renowned flavors to sports and entertainment enthusiasts at the 65,000-seat stadium in the heart of Downtown Orlando. Big Dave’s will debut its two concession stands at Camping World Stadium—a historic venue owned and operated by the City of Orlando—on Nov. 18, as P!NK takes the stage for a highly anticipated concert, and will also be featured at all subsequent events in the venue, including the Florida Blue Florida Classic (Nov. 23), the Pop-Tarts Bowl (Dec. 28), the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31) and the NFL Pro Bowl Games (Feb. 2, 2025). READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/eMijdHtv

Over the weekend, Jones High School hosted their second game of the season at Camping World Stadium. The Tigers, ranked No. 1 in the Orlando Sentinel’s Super 16 Coaches Poll, hosted rival No. 5 Edgewater High School. Fans of both schools flocked to the stadium in the heart of The West Lakes Communities to see this huge high school matchup. The Tigers jumped out to an early three-touchdown lead, ultimately cruising to a 31-21 victory. The win moves them to a perfect 3-0 on the year. It was a great game, but we hope it provided an amazing experience for both teams, as these young student athletes were able to play in the same stadium that hosts the NFL Pro Bowl Games and a plethora of college football games, international soccer matches and more throughout the year.

Following last week's 'boneyard' win for NIU Athletics over No. 5 Notre Dame, the Football Writers Association of America named the Huskies the Cheez-It National Team of the Week. We were grateful for NIU head coach Thomas Hammock making some time during their bye week to speak with Sam Gardner ahead of our first Team Selection Committee meeting of the season. Coach Hammock spoke about what the win meant for the program and himself. You can watch the full interview on our YouTube channel at youtu.be/Fwa21rLjK_o.

Our Team Selection Committee kicks into high gear this weekend with 10 games on our slate starting with a Top 20 matchup tonight between our defending Pop-Tarts Bowl Champions, No. 14 Kansas State, and No. 20 Arizona in Manhattan, Kansas. Members of our Team Selection Committee are on the road all season long representing our organization and helping to establish meaningful relationships with our participating institutions, league officials, fans and media. To learn more about our Team Selection Committee, as well as other committees and membership benefits, visit https://lnkd.in/gZUujFuS.

Feast on the 50 presented by SouthState Bank—one of our longest-running and most unique events—returns to Camping World Stadium next month, on Thursday, October 10. If you are a fan of college football, food and fun, this is the event for you! Attendees will enjoy unlimited food and drink from local restaurants, bars and vendors and celebrate football's return. Local alumni chapters from our partner conference schools as well as B-CU, FAMU, Rollins and USF will compete for the most spirited tailgate in our Official Alumni Village presented by Greater Orlando Aviation Authority: Orlando International (MCO) and Executive (ORL) Airports. The event features fun for fans of all ages in the Kids’ Zone presented by Fun Spot America Theme Parks, complete with inflatable games, face painting and other exciting activities! The evening concludes with an unforgettable fireworks show that will dazzle the masses. The evening also features an entirely mobile silent auction. The auction contains a variety of experiences, exclusive sports memorabilia and other fantastic items available for bidding using the OneCause app. All proceeds from the silent auction benefit K-8 educational efforts within The Communities of the West Lakes near Camping World Stadium. Tickets to this one-of-a-kind event are included in Florida Citrus Sports membership packages, only $40 for non-members, and kids 10 & under are free! Learn more and pick up your tickets at https://lnkd.in/ek3YHC4a.

We had a great time catching up with our volunteers at our season's kickoff party last Thursday evening. Words can't describe how grateful we are for the dedicated individuals who help us orchestrate our growing list of events year-round. You can view more pictures from the evening on our website at https://lnkd.in/eQ-mP9_H.   If you'd like to learn more about our upcoming volunteer opportunities or sign up for a shift at an upcoming event, you can do so at https://lnkd.in/exBM_h8s.

Congratulations to our President, Sharon Line Clary, on her recent promotion to Senior Vice President of Community Impact and Partnership Engagement for AdventHealth Central Florida. In her new role, Sharon will continue to bring the AdventHealth brand to life through the leadership of the AdventHealth Foundation in Central Florida, marketing and nonprofit partnerships, business partnerships, communications, and community relations and impact. Beyond her leadership and experience in the healthcare marketing and communications field, Sharon has dedicated many years of service to our local community. She currently serves on several boards in addition to ours, including the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, WISE Greater Orlando, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts – The Circle, Mennello Museum of American Art and Orlando Museum of Art.

The Florida Classic is more than just a football game and in-state rivalry between Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman University. It is the nation’s largest football game between two Historically Black College/University (HBCU) schools. Since its inception in 1978, the game has seen over 2 million spectators attend (2,214,060) and is the 𝑶𝑵𝑳𝒀 HBCU Classic owned by both participating institutions. Tickets are on sale now for the 44th edition of the game—the 27th consecutive held at Camping World Stadium, in the heart of the City of Orlando—which will take place Saturday, November 23, at 3:30 p.m. Group and premium seating packages for the matchup are available now, but space is limited. If you're looking to support these two historic universities and experience the taste, sound and excitement of this cultural experience that goes beyond the gridiron, you can learn more about available options at FloridaClassic.org.

Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan joined the Front Office Sports Today podcast to discuss the upcoming college football season including the 12-team playoff as well as the success of last season’s Pop-Tarts Bowl. You can listen to the full interview below.